Author: Tom Patriot

Realistic exposure study supports the use of zinc oxide nanoparticle sunscreens

Tom Patriot

Zinc oxide (ZnO) has long been recognized as an effective sunscreen agent. However, there have been calls for sunscreens containing ZnO nanoparticles to be banned because of potential toxicity and the need for caution in the absence of safety data in humans. An important new study provides the first direct evidence that intact ZnO nanoparticles neither penetrate the human skin barrier nor cause cellular toxicity after repeated application to human volunteers under in-use conditions. This confirms that the known benefits of using ZnO nanoparticles in sunscreens clearly outweigh the perceived…

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Joey King Called Out a Plane Passenger Who Thought She Had Cancer—and Treated Her Badly Because of It

Tom Patriot

Actress Joey King posted about a fellow plane passenger who thought she had cancer—and treated her poorly because of it. The 19-year-old actress (who is currently sporting a shaved head for a role) took to Twitter on Sunday, November 18th to share the series of events. King wrote, “Y’all I’m on a plane & this man next to me literally turned to me with his phone in my face & took a photo of me as if I wouldn’t notice & texted his wife that he’s sitting next to a girl who has cancer…

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Brain’s primitive sensory region also participates in sophisticated learning

Tom Patriot

Columbia neuroscientists have revealed that a simple brain region, known for processing basic sensory information, can also guide complex feats of mental activity. The new study involving mice demonstrated that cells in the somatosensory cortex, the brain area responsible for touch, also play a key role in reward learning, the sophisticated type of learning that allows the brain to associate an action with a pleasurable outcome. It is the basis for how we connect our work in the office to that paycheck, or that A+ to the studying we did…

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Diet could help runners beat stomach issues

Tom Patriot

Research indicates that cutting out specific foods can alleviate the gastrointestinal issues some people experience when they exercise, with over two-thirds of people involved in a new study reporting an improvement. Runners in particular can be susceptible to symptoms which are similar to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Previous research has shown that a low fermentable oligosaccharide, disaccharide, monosaccharide and polyol (or FODMAP) diet can help people with IBS. Led by scientists from Anglia Ruskin University and published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, the new study found…

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